Notable Faculty

Barbara Butts Williams, PhD

Barbara Butts Williams, PhD

Dean

Dr. Barbara Butts Williams is the Dean of Business in Capella University's School of Business and Technology. While at Capella, she has served as dean of the School of Education, interim dean of the School of Business and Technology, director of the MBA program in the School of Business, and faculty director for graduate programs in the School of Business and Technology. Dr. Butts Williams has had a varied executive career in the public, private, academic, and consulting sectors. Prior to joining Capella, she was president of Growth Partners Consulting, a firm she founded to provide executive coaching, product development, strategy, organizational effectiveness and development, and talent management solutions. Dr. Butts Williams' professional experience also includes such positions as officer of global leadership and development, vice president of marketing and sales, and marketing director. She has also served on several academic, community, and civic boards, and has been appointed by two Minnesota governors to serve on statewide planning boards. Dr. Butts Williams was also recently appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology. Her research interest is on the meaning and significance of work in people's lives.

Cheryl Bann, PhD

Cheryl Bann, PhD

PROGRAM CHAIR

Dr. Cheryl Bann is program chair for Capella's MBA program in the School of Business and Technology. She has worked with Capella since 2002, initially as adjunct faculty and then, beginning in 2004, as core faculty. Prior to joining Capella, Dr. Bann spent more than 30 years working in the corporate sector (at General Mills and Dain Bosworth), in government (at the Minnesota Trade Office), and in a private consulting practice. In addition, she possesses extensive international experience as a consultant on more than 45 USAID projects in 15 countries, as well as teaching experience at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Dr. Bann's educational background includes a BA in Physiology and a BS in Business from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, an MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and both an MS in Instructional Design for Online Learning and a PhD in Organization and Management with a specialization in Leadership from Capella University. In 2006, Dr. Bann was a recipient of Capella's Harold Abel Distinguished Faculty award.